This invention relates generally to processing of wire, such as wire having sheathing or insulation, and more particularly concerns apparatus for transporting wire prior to, during and after application of terminals to ends of the wire section which have been stripped of sheathing or insulation.
In the past, wires and wire sections were commonly moved or transported during their processing as by linear actuators whose movements were physically stopped at the ends of actuator travel, for precision location of wire ends, as during cutting or application of metal terminals on stripped ends. During high speed reciprocating operation of the parts of the apparatus, the rapid stopping of the actuators produced high deceleration stoppage of moving parts, which led to excessive wear, noise, unacceptable malfunctioning as well as down-time. Need has, therefore, developed for ways to eliminate such wear, malfunctioning and downtime of the apparatus, and to otherwise simplify such apparatus and its operation.